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Journal of Geek Studies

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Cultural in modern Japan: as spiritual insects in the Akihabara Culture

Hideto Hoshina Faculty of Education, University of Fukui, Fukui City, 910-8507 Japan. Email: [email protected]

Butterflies are one of the most popular pillars, is very popular and has been broad- insects because they have diversified and casted in Japan since 2013. Moreover, the colorful wings. They were probably the first logo of a Korean airplane company, Jin Air, insects to be collected purely for their beau- is a (there are no butterfly logos ty (Preston-Mafham, 2004). In the Western for Japanese airplane companies). More- culture, Dicke (2004) showed that butter- over, many butterfly-shaped accessories are and are the most frequently sold in Seoul City (Hoshina, 2019). depicted insects in Western art from 13th century till date. Hvenegaad (2016) recog- What did older Japanese people tradi- nized 81 insect festivals in North Ameri- tionally think about butterflies? Dunn (2000) ca through a web-based research study in indicated that famous Japanese poets in the 2015. Of these festivals, 49% focus on all Edo period (1603–1868) wrote their works, insects. In festivals that target one group of haiku, using butterflies, dragonflies, cicadas, insects, 31% focus on butterflies, followed crickets, grasshoppers, and fireflies as their by 4% on dragonflies and honeybees, and subject matter. However, Japanese people 1 3% on caterpillars and blackflies. Further- loved fireflies and singing Orthoptera more more, Shipley & Bixler (2017) demonstrated than butterflies before World War II (Hoshi- that modern American people are generally na, 2017a, 2018b), likely due to their limit- friendly towards butterflies as revealed in ed seasonal appearance. They deeply love an interview with 60 participants, in the age cherry blossoms and prodigiously drink li- range of 18 to 50 years. quor around the roots of trees every spring because flowers open for only about ten Similarly, Korean people are likely to days in April. On the contrary, most erst- show favorability towards butterflies in while Japanese people felt that butterflies, general (Hoshina, 2019). In Hampyeong especially the common species Paplio xuthus of the southwestern Korean peninsula, a Linnaeus, 1767 (the Asian swallowtail) and butterfly festival has been held every year Pieris rapae (Linnaeus, 1758) (the small cab- since 1999. The festival is one of ecotourism, bage white), were tedious, yet beautiful, during which visitors observe many butter- because they are multivoltine,2 and adults flies and flowers, learning about the natural emerge from spring to autumn (Hoshina, environment and eco-friendly agriculture 2018a). (Kim et al., 2008a, 2008b). Additionally, the 3D Korean animation Larva (TUBAn Co., Moreover, although butterflies often ap- 2006), in which main characters are cater- pear in many worldwide mythologies (for

1 Orthoptera is the order of insects that includes grasshoppers, locusts, and crickets.

2 A multivoltine species has two or more broods of offspring per year.

149 Hoshina, H.

example, Wyman & Bailey, 1964; Shinoda, ed in Akihabara Culture, which is a symbol 2018), they are not described in the Japanese of the modern Japanese culture. I have pre- myths (Hoshina, 2017b). In addition, in the viously discussed rhinoceros and oldest Japanese poetical work, Man’yōshū ( fireflies appearing in Akihabara Culture 万葉集), which was edited in the 8th centu- (Hoshina & Takada, 2012; Hoshina, 2018c). ry, there are no poems of butterflies (Taka- Therefore, I have focused the discussion on hashi, 1988). Furthermore, older Japanese butterflies in this paper. people were uncomfortable with the ex- treme changes of butterflies from larvae to adults (Kozai, 2012). Thus, they general- ly paid little attention to butterflies before BUTTERFLIES AS SOULS World War II. In the ending of a Japanese TV anima- So, what do present-day Japanese peo- tion, This Ugly yet Beautiful World (この醜く ple think about butterflies? This will be dis- も美しい世界, romanized as Kono Minikuku cussed here, related to cultural . mo Utsukushii Sekai; by ), in 2004, Recently, some papers about Japanese vid- a scene of numerous red butterflies was eo games included in ‘Akihabara Culture’ shown, representing souls of all lives before were published in a branch of cultural en- birth, flying into the universe from Earth. tomology (Kawahara, 2007; Hoshina, 2018c; Kittel, 2018; Schmidt-Jefferus & Nelson, In a Japanese animation movie, A Silent 2018; Shelomi, 2019). Further, Kritsky & Voice (映画 聲の形, Eiga Koe no Katachi; by Smith (2018) in “Akihabara Culture: Toys, ), in 2016, the soul of the Video Games, and from Modern Ja- heroin’s grandmother transformed into a pan” provided a descriptive introduction white butterfly after her death and flew to of cultural entomology. Generally, foreign the heroin in order to see her again in the researchers thought that Japanese people funeral ceremony (Miyanoshita, 2019). traditionally have a favorable disposition Cafe Stella to Shinigami no Chou (喫茶 towards insects (Hogue, 1987; Dunn, 2000). ステラと死神の蝶, Kissa Stera to Shinigami Therefore, some cultural entomologists may no Chou; by Yuzusoft) went on sale in 2019, be interested in how the insects are depict-

Figure 1. Aoi Sorakado and a butterfly; © /.

Journal of Geek Studies 7(2): 149-159 (2020). Cultural lepidopterology in modern Japan which is a romantic fantasy graphic novel. BUTTERFLIES AS SPIRITUAL ME- One of the main characters, Kо̄sei Taka- DIUMS FOR WOMEN TO RELEASE mine, is run over by a car and dies soon af- MAGICAL POWERS ter the start of the story. However, he can turn back the clock to before the traffic ac- A series of action games, Samurai War- cident through a strange power of a blue riors (戦国無双, Sengoku Musō; by Koei), is butterfly. Subsequently, a deceased female set during the Japanese Civil War in the 16th appears before him and explains that blue century, and its first product went on sale butterflies are human souls and dangerous in 2004. Players operate military command- for the world. Therefore, he decides to sup- ers, or their wives or sisters, aiming to de- port her in collecting butterflies. feat the opposing army. One of the popular characters, Nōhime, is a voluptuous and Summer Pockets is a popular romantic mysterious lady who is called “a butterfly graphic novel released in 2018 (by studio accompanying her husband, like Satan”. Key). The novel is set in a small rural is- She usually fights by using long claws and land. The hero, a boy named Hairi Taka- sometimes releases many purplish-red but- hara, comes to the from a large city terflies to initiate explosions that kill many during a summer vacation and meets a enemy soldiers (Fig. 2). shrine maiden girl, Ao Sorakado. On the is- land, shining whitish strange butterflies Hisahide Matsunaga is a character in the about a mountain at night. These butterflies animation The Ambition of Oda Nobuna (織 represent incarnations of the memories of 田信奈の野望, Oda Nobuna no Yabō; by Stu- people who died with regret. She searched dio Gokumi and ), which was for butterflies having memories of her older broadcasted in 2012 and set in the Japanese twin sister, Ai, who is in a death-like state Civil War period in the 16th century. She is (Fig. 1). Hairi begins to look for butterflies half-Japanese, a witch, and a lush and mys- with her. terious girl. She can suddenly teleport from a faraway place, accompanied by many golden-yellow butterflies, to confuse her enemies.

Figure 2. Nōhime in Samurai Warriors 4-II; ©Koei Tecmo Games.

151 Hoshina, H.

Figure 3. Yukina Shinjō in Manatsu no Yoru no Yuki ; © Ex-One.

A graphic novel, Manatsu no Yoru no Yuki set on the Eternal Summer Island existing Monogatari (真夏の夜の雪物語; by Ex-One), in a dream of the heroine, Ayumu Nanase. went on sale in 2011 and is a romantic fanta- Many blue butterflies fly laughing in a low sy graphic novel. The heroine, Yukina Shin- voice all over the island. These butterflies jō, is a yuki-onna, which means a beautiful are souls that invite humans into her dream. snow fairy filled with much love, a famous In the end, she sees her deceased lover in Japanese traditional monster wearing a ki- her dream, and a cloud of butterflies disap- mono. She releases many frozen pale but- pears entering into her body (Fig. 4). terflies that freezes the whole town in the end of the story (Fig. 3). The TV animation series Sister Princess, by Inc., was broadcasted in 2001. The In this way, butterflies often become main characters included one elder broth- spiritual mediums in order to charge magi- er and twelve younger sisters that loved cal powers released by female characters in him very much. One day, one of the sisters, the Akihabara Culture. Aria, lost a ribbon, which was a present from her brother, and wept over it. She saw a tree sprit changing into an elderly gentle- man and looked for the ribbon with him. BUTTERFLY FLIGHT IN THE DREAM Just then, a green butterfly appeared be- WORLD AND CONNECTION TO fore them and took them to a dream world. THE REAL WORLD Once they found her ribbon, they returned to the real world. In the Blackfoot tribe of North Ameri- ca, there is a myth in which butterflies are Akai Ito (アカイイト, by Success Corpo- spreaders of sleep and dreams (Cherry, ration) is a horror graphic novel that went 2005; Prischmann et al., 2009). In the Aki- on sale in 2004. The heroine, Kei Hatō, is habara Culture, butterflies are often given an ordinary high school student. However, a similar role. A graphic novel, Natsu Yume she is targeted by an oni, a traditional Jap- Nagisa (ナツユメナギサ, by SAGA PLAN- anese devil, because her blood is a favor- ETS), went on sale in 2009 and is an emo- ite dish for oni. Her cousin, Yumei Hatō, tional romantic graphic novel. Its story is became a disembodied soul ten years ago,

Journal of Geek Studies 7(2): 149-159 (2020). Cultural lepidopterology in modern Japan

Figure 4. Ayumu Nanase in Natsu Yume Nagisa; © SAGA PLANETS. gained overwhelming magical powers, and mare. One day, he meets a mysterious girl, has been guarding Kei from oni until the Arisu Toriumi, in his dream. She can appear present. Yumei appears as many pale but- in the dreams of various people. A strange terflies in Kei’s dream to inform her of the love story between Tōru and Arisu begins. approaching dangers. Her ornament is blue butterfly-shaped (Fig. 5), and a bluish butterfly slowly flies around Hapymaher (ハピメア, Hapimea; by Pur- in the opening movie of the game. The ple Software) is a strange graphic novel that butterfly is a representation of the strange went on sale in 2013. The main character, dream world. Tōru Naitō, always suffers from a night-

Figure 5. Arisu Toriumi in Hapymaher; © Purple Software.

153 Hoshina, H.

BUTTERFLIES TRANSPORT HU- Tasogare no Folclore (黄昏のフォルクロー MANS TO DEATH LANDS レ; by ), released in 2019, is a bizarre graphic novel set during the Japanese mod- (聖闘士星矢, also known as ern monarchical period (1868–1945). The Knights of the Zodiac in some places) was a heroine, Supika Otobe, is a beautiful girl popular Japanese comic book in the from a very rich family; however, she sel- and had a Greek mythology motif. In its sto- dom takes a meal and mainly absorbs men’s ry, a butterfly called fairy was sent by a god energy for her survival. Most men die soon of the underworld, Hades, to keep watch after they are deprived of energy by her. In over holy soldiers under the goddess Athe- the opening movie of the game, a blue and na. However, a villainous soldier, Papillon, gaudy butterfly weirdly flies around, while under Hades, released many butterflies and sometimes getting caught in a cobweb. The tried to force Athena’s soldiers into the un- butterfly is a representation of Supika who derworld with these butterflies. drives men to death. Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly (零. 紅 い蝶, Zero: Akai Chou; by Tecmo), released in 2003, is a horror video game where the main characters are the sisters Mayu and WEIRD BUTTERFLIES FLYING IN Mio Amakura. They see a few red butter- THE DARKNESS flies in the dark forest and are directed to Butterflies fly about, sometimes forming an accursed village by those butterflies, in a large group, in the dark magical world which a series of murders occurs and many of Japanese animations and video games, evil spirits ramble about (Fig. 6). Players although most butterflies usually fly in the control the sisters and aim at escaping safe- daytime and do not form large groups in the ly from the village. real world. Oni Uta (鬼が来たりて、甘えさ

Figure 6. The Amakura sisters in Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly; © Tecmo.

Journal of Geek Studies 7(2): 149-159 (2020). Cultural lepidopterology in modern Japan

せろとのたもうた, Oni ga Kitarite, Amaesa- in 2015 and is a horror action role-playing sero to Notamouta; by 130 cm) went on sale game set in early modern Europe. In its in 2003 and is a strange romantic graphic world, many monsters dominate cities at novel. The main character, Akito Mimasa- night. The heroine, Arnice (アーナス), is ka, is the heir of a shrine, who is stabbed a holy knight, who leaves for a battlefield and killed by a thief soon after the start of filled with monsters on an order from the the story. However, an oni princess, a tradi- holy Pope. In the opening movie of the tional Japanese devil, which is enshrined at game, a cloud of blue butterflies flies in the the shrine, gives him magic powers, and he darkness (Fig. 7). is revived as a half-man and half-oni. In the opening movie of the novel, a red butterfly The roles of butterflies in the three cases representing Akito’s blood slowly flies in above were to emphasize the weird atmo- the shrine at night. sphere in each fictional world. In fact, the director of Boku no Te no Naka no Rakuen Boku no Te no Naka no Rakuen (ボクの手 commented that he used butterflies to gen- の中の楽園; by Caramel-Box) went on sale erate a negative feeling and a dramatic im- in 2009 and is a fantasy romantic graphic pact in the game (Jive Editorial Department, novel set on an island based on medieval 2009). Europe. The story begins when the hero, Yū, loses his memory and is cast ashore on the island. On the island, there is a piece of folklore saying that butterflies can travel DISCUSSION between different worlds and bring mad persons from the mountains into town. In the animations and video games be- One day, chimerical mad people appear in longing to the Akihabara Culture, there a town on the island and commit murders. are often scenes in which few butterflies Yū decides to solve the cases, accompanied fly slowly around flower gardens during by a group of female warriors. In the open- daytime. These butterflies represent a mild ing movie of the novel, a cloud of pale but- day in spring. Moreover, butterfly-shaped terflies flies around the dark blue skies. monsters sometimes appear in a variety of video games, including role-playing games, Nights of Azure (よるのないくに, Yoru such as Pokémon, and entries in the series no Nai Kuni; by Koei Tecmo) went on sale Dragon Quest and Disgaea (Hoshina, 2013;

Figure 7. Nights of Azure; © Koei Tecmo.

155 Hoshina, H.

Kittel, 2018; Schmidt-Jefferus & Nelson, In addition, Europe has bizarre region- 2018). However, butterflies described in al folklore combining butterflies and vam- this paper have another point-of-view from pires; in Romania, a type of vampire, nosfer- the butterfly-shaped monsters in cultural at, can transform into a butterfly, black cat, entomology. In role-playing games, but- black dog, and a straw, while in that of the terfly-shaped monsters are only one group Mari people in Volga Basin, the buber vam- of all insect-like monsters and do not have pire transforms itself into a butterfly and special roles in the whole stories and views escapes from its own mouth if its body is of the world in each fictional work. By con- set on fire (Hiraga, 2000). In Japan, there is trast, butterflies described in this paper are no folklore combining butterflies and vam- thought to be particularly meaningful with pires. However, a famous Japanese cartoon- respect to cultural entomology, because ist, Narumi Kakinouchi, depicted butter- they act on characters, stories, and atmo- flies sucking blood from a female vampire spheres of fictional works. in her 2002 work Vampire Yui Kanonshou (吸 血姫夕維 香音抄). As mentioned above, after all, butterflies are described in this paper as spiritual in- In Japan, there are some traditions in sects. Of all insects appearing in the Aki- which butterflies are also regarded as souls habara Culture, only butterflies and fireflies of deceased individuals (Imai, 1978). For ex- can play these roles (Hoshina, 2018a, 2018c). ample, after Christianity was introduced to There is a tendency to consider butterflies as Japan in the 16th century, unique interpreta- spiritual insects in both the Akihabara Cul- tions were sometimes added to its doctrine. ture and around the world (Cherry, 2011). In a tradition in Nagasaki Prefecture, where For example, in Greek culture, the soul at Christianity is strongly followed, the Holy corporeal death is thought to leave the body Spirit was thought to change into a butter- in the form of a butterfly (Adachi, 1995; fly, flying into the Blessed Mary’s mouth, for MacRae, 2007). The Greek coddess Psyche, which Mary conceived Christ (Usui, 1982). who represents the soul, has been illustrat- According to another report, it is likely that ed with butterfly’s wings (Tüzün, 2015). In the ancient Japanese witnessed butterflies Transylvania, it is thought that many peo- gathering around corpses for sapping, thus ple can project their souls as a butterfly regarding this as the incarnation of the dead (Murgoci, 1998). In Europe, butterflies have (Imai, 1978). maintained their status as the iconic repre- sentations of the soul since medieval times Furthermore, butterflies have been said (Dicke, 2000; Nazari, 2014). The Māori in to be insects indicating an ominous sign in New Zealand believe that the soul returns ancient Japan. According to an official his- to earth after death as a butterfly. In the sac- tory book, Azuma Kagami (吾妻鏡), which th rificial moment at the symbolic center of the was edited by the government in the 14 Aztec culture, the freed soul/butterfly was century, many yellow butterflies gathered said to be released from the body by an ob- in the capital city, Kamakura, inciting fear sidian blade and simultaneously captured in the masses of the inauspicious sight in within the stone (MacRae, 2007). In some 1247. In fact, the powerful Miura family Chinese folktales, it has been said that the raised a rebellion against the government soul of the dead becomes a butterfly and re- soon after the incident. In addition, during turns to their lover (Segawa, 2016). Accord- the Edo period, the pupa of Byasa alcinous ing to another report, ancient Egyptians be- (Klug, 1836) (the Chinese windmill) was lieved that butterflies possessed a symbolic called okiku-mushi, a name derived from a or magical meaning related to the afterlife, woman put to death, Miss Okiku, and be- although there are various hypotheses con- came a model of a monster appearing in cerning the symbolic significance of butter- a famous Japanese ballad drama, Banshū flies (Nazari & Evans, 2015). Thus, butter- Sarayashiki (播州皿屋敷). People feared the flies have been used to represent the souls pupa of B. alcinous due to similarities in its of the deceased individuals worldwide. appearance with that of a woman tied up

Journal of Geek Studies 7(2): 149-159 (2020). Cultural lepidopterology in modern Japan with her hands behind her back (Fig. 8). negative, such as the representation as the As such, B. alcinous is still regarded as a souls of the dead and weirdness in the Aki- weird insect. For example, in the opening habara Culture. There is a Japanese proverb, of a modern Japanese horror TV animation, “Beautiful roses have thorns,” meaning that Jigoku Shōjo (地獄少女, also known as Hell extremely beautiful things are dangerous. Girl; by ), in 2005, an adult of B. Butterflies are not only the embodiment of alcinous was luridly flying. Apart from that, beauty but are also still viewed as mysteri- there is a strange tradition in Japan that but- ous and sinister insects for many Japanese terflies eat human flesh (Imai, 1978). people. Thus, the Akihabara Culture has in- herited the traditional views of butterflies. As mentioned in the introduction above, older Japanese individuals prefer fireflies and singing Orthoptera, rather than butter- flies. In contrast, at present, many Japanese REFERENCES people recognize the beauty of butterflies, and many amateurs enthusiastically collect Adachi, R. (1995) Transformations of butterfly butterfly specimens. There are two societ- figure: from a Greek myth of Psyche toM. ies, The Butterfly Society of Japan and The Butterfly. Bulletin of Mimasaka Women’s Butterfly Science Society of Japan, studying College and Mimasaka Junior College 40: only butterflies, separate from The Lepi- 29–35. dopterological Society of Japan, although in Cherry, R. (2005) Magical insects. American En- most cases only one society for tomologist 51: 11–13. has been established in any given country. Cherry, R. (2011) Insects and death. American However, many roles of butterflies are Entomologist 57: 82–85.

Figure 8. Pupa of Byasa alcinous. © Ishikawa Insect Museum.

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Journal of Geek Studies 7(2): 149-159 (2020). Cultural lepidopterology in modern Japan

sects in China. Taishūkan-shoten, Tokyo. [in Acknowledgements Japanese] I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Shelomi, M. (2019) Entomoludology: arthro- Mr. Kohei Watanabe and Mr. Hirokazu Fuku- pods in video games. American Entomologist tomi (Ishikawa Insect Museum, Japan) for offer- 65: 97–106. ing me a photograph. This work was supported Shinoda, C. (2018) Insects in Myths All Over the by JSPS KAKENHI, Grant Number JP18K00254. World. Yasaka-shobō, Tokyo. [in Japanese] Shipley, J.N. & Bixler, R.D. (2017) Beautiful bugs, bothersome bugs, and fun bugs: exam- About the Author ining human interactions with insects and Dr. Hideto Hoshina is an entomologist other arthropods. Anthrozoös 30: 357–372. working on the taxonomy of soil beetles. He is Takahashi, B. (1988) Butterflies among various also interested in cultural , and has a cultures. Komazawa-kokubun 25: 63–74. [in profound knowledge of pet insects in the Jap- Japanese] anese modern monarchical period and animals appearing in modern Japanese video games and Tüzün, A. (2015) Cultural entomology. Türk anime. Bilimsel Derlemeler Dergisi 8: 30–32. Usui, M. (1982) Natural History of Souls. Kawade-shobō-shinsha, Tokyo. [in Japanese] Wyman, C.L. & Bailey, F.L. (1964) Navaho In- dian ethnoentomology. University of New Mexico Publications in Anthropology 12: 1–157.

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